


Of Bros and Belated Realizations

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Series: Think Outside the Love Square [7]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Identity Reveal, Minor, mentioned marinette, mild cursing but nothing severe, ninos mom is gonna kill him, papa garou spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 19:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17250380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: Nino slowed for a moment, huffing out a laugh and shaking his head. His heart was galloping in his chest, and he put his free hand on his hip and stretched to take in more air. “God, what I wouldn’t give for my miraculous right now,” he chuckled softly.“Oh, you mean the really, really slow turtle one?”Nino feigned a gasp, turning and glancing over at the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue. His voice trailed off as he spotted a dark figure at the base of it, cat tail swinging silently against the concrete. “Uh…yeah, that…I’ll call you later, okay Als?”“Sure? Everything okay?”“I hope so,” Nino muttered.





	Of Bros and Belated Realizations

**Author's Note:**

> Some mild spoilers for the Were-Dad episode, but nothing too major. Adrien and Nino friendship ahoy, bc there is not nearly enough of that in this fandom.

Nino’s mother was going to kill him. 

She was going to take a frying pan off the wall, beat him to the floor, and make him plead for his life. And then he’d be grounded for about seventy years after that anyway. 

He was so fucking late. 

Nino skidded around the corner by the school, breath heaving, and picked up his ringing cell phone, answering it at the sight of Alya’s name. “S’up?”

“Did you make it home?” she laughed, mirth evident in her voice. 

“I’m going to smack you so hard tomorrow.” 

“If you’re alive.”

Nino scoffed, cutting through the park and winding around the empty benches as the nearby clock tower struck 11:30 pm. “It’ll be your fault if I’m not, miss “study buddy.” You said nothing about a movie.” 

“Come on, you were dying to see the new Spiderman.”

“Um, yeah, and now I’ll be dying on my kitchen floor!”

“So?”

Nino slowed for a moment, huffing out a laugh and shaking his head. His heart was galloping in his chest, and he put his free hand on his hip and stretched to take in more air. “God, what I wouldn’t give for my miraculous right now,” he chuckled softly. 

“Oh, you mean the really, really slow turtle one?”

Nino feigned a gasp, turning and glancing over at the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue. His voice trailed off as he spotted a dark figure at the base of it, cat tail swinging silently against the concrete. “Uh…yeah, that…I’ll call you later, okay Als?”

“Sure? Everything okay?”

“I hope so,” Nino muttered, shutting his phone off and shouldering his bag as he stepped over to the statue, both hands in front of his chest so he didn’t startle the hero. 

Chat’s head whipped up when Nino was still several feet away, ears swiveling on his head. Nino didn’t even know they did that. “Who’s there?”

Nino cleared his throat and ducked into a path light, sheepish smile on his face. “Sorry, dude. You just…I was cutting through the park and saw you and I wanted to check and make sure everything was okay.” 

Chat’s eyebrows lifted. “Yeah. Nino, right? What are you uh…what are you doing out so late?” 

Nino rolled his eyes, not missing the thick sound hovering in the back of Chat’s throat. “Getting ready to get my ass handed to me by my mother,” he laughed. “What about you?” 

Chat’s lips pursed and he looked back up at the statue once more before hopping down and dusting himself off. “Nothing. Want me to get you home a little faster?”

Nino’s heart rate spiked for a moment. His favorite hero, giving him a lift? Hell yeah. But… “Only if you tell me what’s bothering you, dude.” 

“What? Nothing,” Chat Noir managed. He was lying, and it was easy for Nino to see. His mannerisms when he lied were familiar: rubbing the back of his neck, averting his eyes, shoulders shrugging.

Similar to Adrien.

Nino frowned. “Come on, man, I know you’re lying. You don’t have to actually talk to me, just…don’t lie to me. Not cool.”

Char Noir flinched, tail flicking faster. “Just…I caused an akuma today, and that hasn’t happened in a long time, and it was someone close to me a-and to a lot of people, really, and it just…I guess I’m trying to…stop feeling guilty? I guess?”

He said it all in a rush, like he was afraid Nino would judge him, but Nino thought nothing of the sort. He stepped forward, lifting his hand a bit apprehensively and setting it on Chat’s shoulder. “Hey man,” he murmured, squeezing a bit and wow he was actually a pretty thin guy, “it’s not your fault. I’ve caused an akuma or two in my time. It’s no one’s fault but Hawkmoth’s. Emotions exist, dude. Nothing we can do about it.”

Chat offered him a tiny, half smile, eyes sparkling, and Nino was struck again by the familiarity of them. “Thanks, Nino. I just…I still think I hurt her.” 

“Who? Ladybug?”

Chat gnawed on his lower lip. “Marinette.” 

Nino nearly choked on his tongue. “I’m sorry, _Marinette_ got akumatized? Why didn’t anyone tell me and Alya?!”

Chat put his hands up, shaking his head. “No, no, her father. Cause I kinda…turned her down after she confessed to liking me.”

If Nino’s mother didn’t kill him, he was going to die of choking on nothing. “She did what?” he croaked, thumping his chest with his fist. 

“Are you…sure you’re okay?” Chat asked, his voice filled with concern. 

Nino blinked rapidly, eyes watering. “Uh…” he coughed again. “Yes? Marinette doesn’t…she likes…”

She liked Adrien. 

Nino knew that, sure as he knew his girlfriend was absolutely insane sometimes, and he knew that Marinette, while she appreciated Chat Noir, also didn’t have feelings for him beyond gratitude and maybe some form of friendship. 

So unless…

Nino looked up again, taking his glasses off to wipe his tear-filled eyes, and-

“Well fuck.” 

Chat Noir – Adrien – blinked in startled surprise. 

The hair, the posture, the height, the voice, the fucking _puns._ Nino was amazed he hadn’t seen it sooner. Of course, once his vision was slim to none and equivalent to that of a hungover dog, it was easy to see it. 

He stumbled back, losing his footing, and hit the ground hard, his teeth clacking in his mouth. Nino cussed, and Chat Noir darted to his side, hands gently grabbing at his shoulders. “Nino? Are you all right?”

“Fucking dandy,” Nino wheezed, sliding his glasses back on and gazing up at his friend. “How the fuck do you sneak past the prison your dad calls a house?” 

The way Chat Noir froze could be considered almost comical if his eyes weren’t suddenly so petrified, and Nino laughed, waving a hand out and landing it on one of Chat’s hands, still on his shoulders. “Dude. Dude, it’s fine. I know the risks. I know what you deal with at home. I’m not mad at you.” 

“Nino, how…?”

“Let’s just say I needed a new perspective,” Nino said, tapping the frame of his glasses. 

Chat helped him stand and he hovered for a moment, looking nervous. Nino huffed and pulled his ball cap off, running the palm of his hand over his head and grinning. “Seriously, Adrien,” he laughed, voice low. Chat jumped again. “It’s fine. I’m…I mean, maybe I shouldn’t say anything, but Ladybug AND Rena both know, and that doesn’t really seem fair, but I’m Carapace. Sometimes, anyway.” 

Boy, if Adrien had looked sick before, now he looked like dinner was coming up the wrong pipe. “I’m…you’re _what?”_

Nino managed a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. “You heard me.” 

Chat looked back up to the statue again, and something in his appearance flickered so quickly that Nino wasn’t sure he could place it anywhere. Nino hesitated. “Dude?” 

“Claws in.” 

Green light washed over him and that made Nino smile a little because hey, they both did a green transformation, but Adrien’s face was so down when it finished that Nino wiped the smile off his face. “Adrien?” he asked, a little softer. 

Adrien looked up, an unreadable emotion in his eyes, and Nino slumped. He had seen this happen a few times, knew what was going through Adrien’s head; left out again, forced to the sidelines, not in control of his own life. His own decisions. 

The kwami next to him glanced from Nino back to Adrien and then back to Nino and then gestured lamely to Marinette’s house. “I’m gonna go sneak some cheese Danish from the day-old box. Call me if you need me!” 

He zipped off and Nino stepped closer. “Dude. What happened with Marinette this afternoon? Or is that…not it anymore?” 

Adrien pressed his lips into a thin line, shrugging. “Rena and Ladybug both get to know who you are and…and you only told me because you figured me out.” 

“If it’s any consolation, I’m the only one who knows,” Nino tried. “And NO one knows who Ladybug is.” 

Adrien’s lips quirked. “Fair point, I guess.” 

“Hey. C’mere.” 

Nino swung his arms out, a loopy grin on his cheeks, and Adrien laughed a bit before falling into them, his nose pressed into the chilled skin of Nino’s neck. Nino hummed and rocked where he was standing a bit. “Thanks, Adrien.”

He could practically feel the subsequent frown. “Thanks?” 

“Yeah, man, you’ve saved me like a billion times. And I know that with your dad and everything, this…superhero business, I mean…couldn’t have been easy. So I’m proud of you, dude.” 

“Really?” and goddamn the crack in his voice almost murdered Nino on the spot. He tightened his grip instantly, fingers curling into Adrien’s back. Something had happened that day, with Marinette and her dad that effected Adrien to the point of whatever it was he was feeling right now, and Nino still wasn’t sure what, but he wasn’t going to push any further. Adrien didn’t deserve that. 

“Really.” 

They stood still for another few seconds before Adrien was pulling back, dragging his hands over his eyes. “Do you um…do you still need a lift home? Your mom might be a little less angry if she knew you were helping a superhero.” 

Nino snorted. “As if. She’d probably beat you up, too. But it’s worth a shot.” 

Adrien nodded and turned, yelling his kwami’s name quietly into the night air. While they waited for the little glutton (Adrien’s words, not his), Adrien glanced back at him. “So you figured it out because…you took your glasses off? Really? That was it?” 

Nino frowned, glancing back at Marinette’s balcony. “Marinette…doesn’t know who you are?” 

Adrien shook his head and Nino tilted his head curiously. DID Marinette have a crush on Chat Noir? Was she over Adrien? Was-?

The irony smacked Nino in the face and he almost started crying, he was laughing so hard. Adrien was hovering over him in concern, Plagg rolling his eyes somewhere above them, but Nino was too preoccupied to care, even as the clock tower struck midnight. 

His friends were fucking stupid.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year everyone!


End file.
